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Timing Belt Questions

Yesterday I was driving along at about 80km/h and my engine (EA82 1.8 n/a) suddenly stopped. So I pulled over, checked things over and determined it was the timing belt. I pryed open the driveres side belt cover to see a snapped belt. yada yada yada...http://www.economysu.../timingbelt.htmThe car is now at my house and I have followed "Miles Fox's" method of replacing timing belts. I have also checked a few other resources which are basically the same as Miles'... They all have ATTACHED timing belts. Mine has a LEFT SNAPPED belt.. from what I know, my timing is probably pretty screwed up now. Here are my questions:

1) Should I remove both timing belts before adjusting crankshaft so the three ||| marks line up on the flywheel? Should I put it in nutral when spinning the crankshaft?

I don't think the cam pulleys will spin without timing belts..I havent tried but I don't like to force things unless I know I'm doing it right.

2) I have removed the FRONT belt covers, and I'm planning on keeping them off.. is it fine if I leave the BACK belt coveres on? Because I don't want to remove the cam pulleys.

3) What is the best method of "loosening?" the belt tensioners so I can get the belt off?

So the covers are off, and the LHS belt (broken) is out. I havn't touched the (non-broken) RHS belt yet. That is where I am at.

It is probably a trivial procedure but this is my first time, and Id rather not screw it up.

you'll have to remove the p/s belt to get the new d/s belt on. leave the rear timing covers, no point in removing them really.

make sure all your timing pulley bearings are good, a seized pulley will shred your timing belt in no time. if they are noisey (most are at 20 years old and have no grease left in them) consider new pulleys, pressing new bearings, or repacking them with grease. your new belts will shred if a bearing goes bad.

turn the cam sprockets using a 10mm ratchet on one of the three cam sprocket bolts. it will feel very tight turning the cam, that's normal resistance from the valve train. non interference engine, so you can turn them all day long and not worry about them touching anythign internally. line up the middle of the three marks ||| on the bellhousing and the d/s cam. install d/s belt. now double check that the marks are dead on after you install and release the tensioner. easy to be a tooth or so off, make sure it's dead on before moving along.

once the drivers side is right, install the passengers side. rotate flywheel/flexplate 360 degrees (one complete turn), bringing the ||| marks back up to the top. (just for reference the drivers side cam will now be pointing down). now install the p/s belt.

you'll have to remove the p/s belt to get the new d/s belt on. leave the rear timing covers, no point in removing them really.

make sure all your timing pulley bearings are good, a seized pulley will shred your timing belt in no time. if they are noisey (most are at 20 years old and have no grease left in them) consider new pulleys, pressing new bearings, or repacking them with grease. your new belts will shred if a bearing goes bad.

turn the cam sprockets using a 10mm ratchet on one of the three cam sprocket bolts. it will feel very tight turning the cam, that's normal resistance from the valve train. non interference engine, so you can turn them all day long and not worry about them touching anythign internally. line up the middle of the three marks ||| on the bellhousing and the d/s cam. install d/s belt. now double check that the marks are dead on after you install and release the tensioner. easy to be a tooth or so off, make sure it's dead on before moving along.

once the drivers side is right, install the passengers side. rotate flywheel/flexplate 360 degrees (one complete turn), bringing the ||| marks back up to the top. (just for reference the drivers side cam will now be pointing down). now install the p/s belt.

Thanks for the replys.

I'm done now, and I'm embarassed because of how easy it was. I wasn't sure how strong the tensioners were, but it turns out I can hold them down with my finger. Another thing that I wasn't sure about was turning the cam pulleys, but that easily done by sticking a 10mm socket onto one of the bolts and turning clockwise.

One last question. I noticed when I rotate the LHS tensioner pulley, it sounds as though the bearings are dry. The RHS tensioner pulley runs smooth. I'm wonderning if this contributed to my LHS belt breaking? Or does the LHS (longer) usually break first?

Will I need to go to a junker for a new tensioner, or will an autoparts store have them in stock?

One last question. I noticed when I rotate the LHS tensioner pulley, it sounds as though the bearings are dry. The RHS tensioner pulley runs smooth. I'm wonderning if this contributed to my LHS belt breaking? Or does the LHS (longer) usually break first?

I have never had a RHS belt break. I have been running GLs & Loyales for about 16 years. I figure the extra load of oil pump and the extra length must have something to do with the longer belt failing. One time the gear idler bearing seized & took out the belt. I rebulid the idlers. The gear one is a standard ball bearing - except I had the local bearing house get me high temperature grease with contact seals. For the tensioners, I made up standoffs on a lathe and used the flat braket part from a set of dead ones. Now I remove a bolt, bress on a new bearing. And the pully from the dead one. Same deal with the grease and seals. They are standard bearings also.

the drivers side usually breaks first, it has to drive the oil pump, distributor and more pulleys to go around. the bearings in the pulleys will seize, your belt will begin to slide over the pulleys....heat up, wear the facing off and eventually break. best to replace or fix that noisey bearing.